Textile winding machines of the above-mentioned type commonly employ a bobbin transport system having a feed track extending along several aligned winding stations for conveying transport elements each carrying a spinning bobbin to be unwound, a removal track extending along the opposite side of the winding stations for conveying transport elements each carrying an unwound spinning bobbin, and transverse transport tracks each extending from the feed track to the removal track through a respective winding station, with each transverse transport track having a positioning element selectively movable into and out of the associated transverse transport track for positioning a transport element at, and releasing the transport element from, an unwinding position at the associated winding station.
A bobbin winding machine of the above-mentioned type is described in German Patent Publication DE 196 17 469 A. With a bobbin winding machine of this type it is possible, if unfortunate circumstances occur, that the transport elements back up in the outlet area of a transverse transport track and therefore result in also blocking the removal track, which can only be remedied by the action of an operator. It is possible, for example, that a transport element with an empty tube projects out of the transverse transport track partially onto the removal track. As other transport elements are conveyed on the removal track past the outlet of such transverse transport track, the transport elements will tend to push the projecting transport element back into the transverse transport track. However, if the projecting transport element cannot be pushed back into the transverse transport track because a further transport element is already present thereon, there is the danger of the transport element becoming jammed in the outlet area and therefore blocking the transport of elements on the removal track.